In the months leading up to the caucuses, Iowans get to feel like Superstars of Democracy!

Door to door canvassers come knocking, the robo-calls are numerous (we ditched our landline a few months ago, but lots of rando cell calls, too), and a plethora of mailers are delivered in all shapes and sizes.

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We are way more old and white than the rest of the nation on average, but nevermind. We are FIRST!

It's weird. And problematic. We know that.

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This time (unlike in 2008) we are not caucusing at our polling place, but somewhere bigger because you've got to get all of the folks in one room.

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Here we go! (6:44pm)

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Filing in...

Clinton folks were ushered to the left and Sanders folks to the right side of the room.

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Hill is here!

Oh, wait...

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Our friend Linda's sign about sums it up...

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Light up Bernie sign!

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We're breaking fire codes so they're asking folks who are with Bernie and HRC to move to overflow rooms to be counted.

We're staying put for a bit.

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O'Malley supporters are in the corner

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Our precinct intersects with the U of Iowa campus and there are a number of young folks with orange Observer name tags that I suspect are international students.

Love it.

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Bernie supporters heading to overflow space to be counted (7:20pm)

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Herky is the Iowa Hawkeyes' mascot.

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The Precinct Captain is getting things started!

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Reading the Caucus Agenda (7:30pm)

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"Politics ain't cheap."

Literally passing around envelopes for the Iowa Democratic Party.

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They're summoning the counting team.

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Singing "This Land Is Your Land"

Not even kidding 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

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Getting counted!

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Now we're singing the Iowa Fight Song and Alma Mater (kind of)

⚫️🔶⚫️🔶⚫️🔶⚫️🔶⚫️🔶⚫️🔶⚫️🔶

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Still waiting to be counted (7:45pm)

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759 people total here.

Record breaking for this precinct!

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Now determining viability.

That is, which candidates can move forward with 15% (114) of supporters to elect delegates.

Not surprising that our precinct went so much for Sanders, but as of right now, it looks like HRC leads the state by a few percentage points.

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I'm on MDMA!

Just kidding. Did you know that the Iowa state flag features a raccoon devouring a bird over the motto, Our Liberties We Prize and Our Rights We Will Maintain? Also kidding, but Ezra Koenig did organize a butterfly release at my caucus site. It was majestic: IOWA CAUCUS FAQ@tombatten

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"I'm telling you, Iowa is incredible. We should all move here and start the revolution."